September 11, 2012

littleBits; is it “the Lego of the future?”

I rarely write about individual companies, and when I do, its because I think they are on to something big and new. That's why today, I am asking the question: Have
you heard about the New York based company, littleBits?

If not, maybe you better. Why, well for starters, they just received
$3.65 million in funding. In addition, the founder, Ayah Bdeir,
spoke at a Ted Conference, the Museum of Modern Art has purchased their work
and Popular Science gave them a Best of Toy Fair award last year. But most of all becauselittleBits allows anyone to be an inventor. In short, they inhabit that expanding synapse between what is a toy and what is a tool.

Here is how Rich Brown, writing in CNET,
describes the company: “littleBits kits are made up of a series of electronic modules that connect
together with magnets, with a color-coding system to guide assembly. Each
module performs a different function, providing power, sensing an input, or
generating some kind of output (light, motion, etc.). Assemble the kits into
circuits, connect the custom 9-volt battery to power it, and you have a
rudimentary electronic device.”

Here is how they describe their system”
” Just as LEGOs™ allow
you to create complex structures with

very little engineering knowledge,
littleBits are small, simple, intuitive, blocks that make creating with
sophisticated electronics a matter of snapping small magnets together.”

They go on to state: “With a growing number of
available modules, littleBits aims to move electronics from late stages of the
design process to its earliest ones, and from the hands of experts, to those of
artists, makers, students and designers.”

Keep your eyes on littleBits and everyone else
who plans to inhabit this new space between fun and factory.

Comments

While I like the concept, it has many things against it: small magnets, high prices, techie/hard to understand. I don't think this has legs on the shelf. Not to mention - imagine the testing costs on these components!

I love it! I can't say I disagree about the comments about safety testing, especially after the Bucky Ball fiasco, but one can always hope that our society will come to its senses and see that when we take responsibility, innovations like littleBits is a result! Can't wait to buy a set ... uh, and maybe one for my kids as well.